There is one thing concerning the excessive you expertise, watching an edge-of-the seat victory in a sports activities film on the massive display. Closer residence nonetheless, the sands of Besant Nagar seaside that has a number of groups come collectively to play Ultimate Frisbee by way of the 12 months has an inspiring, and nearly equally cinematic story to inform.
At the TRIO Invitational Tournament 2025 held in Kuala Lumpur earlier this 12 months, Flywild, certainly one of Chennai’s most promising Ultimate Frisbee golf equipment clinched the gold, changing into the primary membership team from India to win a world event. Facing off gamers from totally different international locations together with Indonesia, China, Japan, Thailand, and USA, Flywild performed a well-fought last towards the team Pancake Men from Philippines and emerged victorious, in what was additionally the membership’s first worldwide event participation.
Sedric Emmanuel, the team’s captain, says they initially misplaced two matches and gained one, which meant their fourth match was to determine if they’d make it to the quarter-finals. “We initially struggled through that match. While we play with no pressure back home in Chennai, this was a lot more challenging. We motivated each other as a team and got through,” he says. Once they had been in the quarter-finals, their profitable streak continued.
The event was a end result of 4 months of observe, and particular camps.
“While some of us have played internationally as part of team India in other international tournaments, this was the first international travel experience for many other members,” says Siva Raman, who coached the team and topped the stats board in the tourney because the participant with essentially the most objectives and assists. “We took this as a challenge, and decided to create history for Ultimate in India,” he provides.
Many younger gamers on the team have inspiring tales to inform, of how their ardour for the game has modified their lives and saved them going by way of onerous instances.
During a match on the TRIO Invitational Tournament 2025
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Paul Pradeep, founding father of Puyal, an Ultimate membership in Chennai who was additionally Flywild’s supervisor for the TRIO event says that many gamers who take to taking part in Ultimate in Chennai, and a few who went on this event got here from deprived backgrounds.
Team captain Sedric who’s 23-years-old was job-hunting in the run-up to the event, and had additionally suffered a major monetary setback. “I had to turn down opportunities to participate in tournaments in the UK and Portugal. However, for the TRIO invitational, the Ultimate community and my team helped me secure funds. We are a family, a team of brothers,” says the participant, whose father is an auto driver.
The sight of grown-up ‘annas’ diving into the sand, and throwing round a disc practically 14 years in the past is one thing Akash Palani nonetheless can not neglect. “Many children including me from Thiruvalluvar Nagar were introduced to the game and encouraged to play. It soon became an after-school activity. The game has given me an identity. If you ask about AP, everyone will know me and I have also met so many people from across the world because of this sport,” he says.
The Ultimate neighborhood, he says, got here collectively to fund and assist him full his school training, to grow to be a bodily training coach. “I learnt at a young age what ‘spirit of the game’ means thanks to Ultimate, and this has guided my life throughout,” says the 24-year-old participant, who additionally credit the game to having given him a chance to go to France as a volunteer for the 2024 Summer Olympics. His teammate and a gymnastics coach, P Neelakandan says that being launched to the game at a younger age immensely helped him with publicity. “I feel that since we do not play for money, we do not fight and stick together,” he provides.
Given that Ultimate thrives on a sport performed for ardour throughout the nation, many gamers juggle full-time jobs and make it to observe classes by way of the week. S Santhosh, who works as a supply consultant with Swiggy says he finishes his work shifts from 7am to 6pm, after which heads to observe, which fits on until 10pm. “I took to playing Ultimate when I was 10 years old, after seeing my brother play. The TRIO Invitational was my first international tournament,” says the participant, whose father is a watchman.
According to Ben Ong, event director, profitable forward of the standard Asian powerhouses which are Japan, the Philippines and Singapore has put India on everybody’s radar now.
“This is the first time a team from India has come this far in a tournament in Malaysia. Many teams that they beat on their way to the gold medal have already told me they want to come back, and look forward to playing the Flywild players again. I am very happy that all their hard work and sacrifices, especially given some of the players’ financial difficulties, has come to fruition and it was a joy to see them play with a lot of heart and win,” he says.
This unprecedented win has given the Ultimate neighborhood in Chennai, and throughout the nation, a lot to be enthused about. “I was part of a team from India that went to Malaysia in 2011 for a tournament. It has taken us 14 years to get that gold medal,” says Abhinav Vinayakh Shankar, a senior participant and mentor with Flywild. Abhinav, who noticed the younger Flywild team clinch the gold as a spirit director for the event, says it was very inspiring to see the team because the underdogs, adapt to the native circumstances, work collectively, and rise as much as the challenges.
“Teams from India have come to the finals several times in the past and have fallen short. To see the Flywild team seize the opportunity like they did; this is truly what sport is all about,” he says.
